I have to admit, I always wondered what this part of Psalm 23 meant. I thought “He anoints my head with oil” was figurative language for God keeping the Psalmist healthy. I never knew this parallel.
Anoint my head with oil
“Sheep can get their head caught in briers and die trying to get untangled. There are horrid little flies that like to torment sheep by laying eggs in their nostrils which turn into worms and drive the sheep to beat their head against a rock, sometimes to death. Their ears and eyes are also susceptible to tormenting insects. So the shepherd anoints their whole head with oil. Then there is peace. That oil forms a barrier of protection against the evil that tries to destroy the sheep. Do you have times of mental torment? Do the worrisome thoughts invade your mind over and over? Do you beat your head against a wall trying to stop them? Have you ever asked God to anoint your head with oil? He has an endless supply! His oil protects and makes it possible for you to fix your heart, mind, and eyes on Him today and always! There is peace in the valley! May our good good Father anoint your head with oil today so that your cup overflows with blessings! God is good and He is faithful!!”
In Zechariah 12:10 Yahweh Himself declares:
“They will look on Me whom they have pierced…”
Pause and let that sink in.
When was Yahweh ever pierced?
This is one of the most powerful prophecies in the OT written hundreds of years before the cross.
Yahweh speaking in the first person, saying He would be pierced by His own people and then mourned for.
The only fulfillment in history of such an event is Jesus of Nazareth on the cross.
Same God.
Same pierced hands and side.
Same promise of redemption.
The OT doesnt just hint at the Messiah….it reveals the shocking truth that the Son of God himself would enter our suffering and be pierced for our transgressions.
Who else but Jesus fulfilled this? Nothing in history comes close. Jesus is Yahweh the Son…..who came in the flesh and dwelt among us.
God can just put your name on someone's mind. And like the King in Modercai's day, they wont rest or sleep until they favor you.
God can do much more than we can ask or think
When Satan tempted Jesus, He could have asserted His divine identity by saying, “Don’t you know I am the Son of God?”
But He didn’t.
Instead, He responded with the words, “It is written.”
In that moment, He was teaching us something powerful:
Our authority doesn’t come from titles, emotions, or spiritual experiences — it comes from the Word of God.
The Word is our reference point, our weapon, and our anchor.
If Jesus, the Son of God, used scripture to confront the enemy, how much more should we?
Let the Word dwell in us richly.
Because when life presses us, what’s written should be what comes out.
Every time you are confronted with fear, tell Satan: “It is written — God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
When you feel weak, declare: “It is written — I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
When the enemy tries to condemn you, stand firm and say: “It is written — there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
When lack surrounds you, speak with confidence: “It is written — the Lord is my Shepherd; I lack nothing.” (Psalm 23:1)
In 1986, the American Medical Association published an article titled "The Physical Death of Jesus Christ". It details the entire process of Jesus' trial to His death on the cross.
In Luke 22, before Jesus is arrested, it is written that He was in great distress & sweating blood. Although rare, it is recognized as Hematidrosis, a condition caused by high levels of stress.
At the time, the crucifixion was considered the worst death for the worst of criminals. But this is not all Jesus faced. He endured whipping so severe that it tore the flesh from His body. He was beaten so horribly that His face was torn & His beard ripped.
A crown of thorns, 2-3 inches long cut deeply into His scalp. The leather whip used to flog Him had tiny iron balls & sharp bones. The balls caused internal injuries while the sharp bones ripped open His flesh. His skeletal muscles, veins, & bowels are exposed, causing major blood loss. Most men do not survive this kind of torture. After Jesus was severely flogged, He was forced to carry His cross while people mocked & spat on Him.
Crucifixion was a process meant to instill excruciating pain, creating a slow & agonizing death. Nails as long as 8 inches were driven into Jesus' wrists & feet. The Roman soldiers knew the tendons in the wrists would tear & break, forcing Jesus to use His back muscles to support Himself to breathe. Imagine the struggle, the pain, the courage...Jesus endured this reality for 3 hours!
The Gospel of John writes that after Jesus' death, a Roman soldier pierced His side with a spear & blood & water came out. Scientists explain that from hypovolemic shock, the rapid heart rate causes fluid to gather in the sack around the lungs & heart. The accumulation of fluid in the membrane around the heart is called a Pericardial effusion & the lungs is called a pleural effusion.
To the world, Christianity is as foolish as it can get. They believe it's for the weak. But when you are confronted by the reality of the cross, it's clearly not a pretty sight. It is brutal & horrific.
This is the weight Jesus carried. The weight of the sins of the world, all so that we can live. God's wrath is fully satisfied in Jesus. This is what it took. Repent & believe! Jesus is “God among us” in the flesh. Jesus is our Savior. Jesus loves you so much that He went through this spiritual and physical punishment for your sins and mine.
Jesus is the LORD, Almighty God, Everlasting Father.
Thank You, Jesus.
I worked 20 years for a child sex trafficking rescue group. I want you to know this:
90% of Lost Children Are Found Within 30 Minutes.
That statistic should both comfort you and wake you up.
Most lost children are found quickly. But the ones who aren’t? They usually made one mistake.
And here’s the uncomfortable truth:
It’s often the exact thing most parents teach them.
We tell our kids:
“If you get lost, come find me.”
It sounds logical. It sounds empowering.
It’s WRONG!
The Mistake Most Lost Children Make:
When children realize they’re separated, they do three things almost automatically:
They panic.
They wander.
They try to find you.
Every step makes them harder to locate.
From a search standpoint, movement creates chaos.
Parents retrace their steps.
Security scans zones.
Staff lock down areas.
Search works best when movement stops.
When a child keeps walking, they move outside the original search radius. Helpers are looking where they were last seen — not where they’ve wandered.
Stillness increases probability.
Movement expands the problem.
The first lesson is not “go find me.”
It’s this:
Stop. Stay. Yell.
Why Stillness Wins:
Think like a search team.
If a child stays put:
Parents can retrace steps.
Security can scan systematically.
Helpers converge to one fixed location.
The search radius remains small.
If a child keeps moving:
The search area expands.
Adults pass each other.
Missed connections multiply.
Minutes stretch into hours.
Stillness keeps the math on your side.
Teach Them Who to Approach:
The second mistake we make as parents?
We say, “Find an adult.”
Not any adult. Not the nearest stranger. Children need a filter.
Teach them to look for, if at all possible:
A mother with children.
Caregivers who already have kids with them are statistically among the safest people to approach in public settings. They are visible, stationary, and more likely to engage quickly.
It’s a clear, concrete instruction.
Children don’t process vague categories like “safe adult.”
They process visuals.
“Find a mom with kids” is visual.
A Phone Only Helps If the Number Is Known:
We often assume phones solve everything.
They don’t — unless your child can use one. Even young children can memorize a 10-digit phone number with repetition.
But you must train it.
Practice it like a song.
Sing it in the car.
Chant it at bedtime.
Turn it into rhythm.
Repetition becomes recall.
In an emergency, recall matters more than theory.
The Code Word Rule:
One more layer of protection.
Choose a private family code word.
Something only your household knows.
If someone approaches and says:
“Your mom sent me.”
Your child asks:
“What’s the code word?”
No word.
No go.
This simple rule eliminates manipulation attempts instantly.
It gives your child agency without requiring them to evaluate character.
Real Safety Is Training — Not Luck!
We don’t get safer by hoping.
We get safer by practicing.
Teach:
• Phone number
• Code word
• Stop, stay, yell
• Find a mom with kids
Multiple skills.
Simple instructions.
Clear visuals.
Five minutes of training can replace hours of panic. This isn’t about fear. It’s about preparation.
Because when a child gets separated, the clock starts.
And what they do in the first minute determines what the next thirty look like.
That’s real protection.
The Bible was written on three continents.
Asia.
Africa.
Europe.
In three languages.
Hebrew.
Aramaic.
Greek.
By over 40 different men —
Shepherds.
Kings.
Prophets.
Fishermen.
A doctor.
Across roughly 1,500 years.
Yet it tells one continuous story:
Creation.
Fall.
Redemption.
Christ.
Different writers.
Different centuries.
Different cultures.
One voice.
Because behind the human hands was a divine Author.
Men held the pens.
But God wrote the story.
God's fingerprints are everywhere, from mighty rivers to the very thoughts in our minds. We are all connected in His creation, not by chance, but by divine design.
In a disconnected world, this truth brings us back to awe and gratitude. How incredible that the same God who shaped the earth shaped us to see His glory in it all. 🥹❤️🙏🏻